Præ Nimia Senectute, Ibi et Sapientia
by queenpearl
Summary: The title translates as "With Age Comes Wisdom" which I think fits this little ficlet perfectly. The sad but somewhat satisfying story of how the Brolga meets his end, though not quite in the way we'd expect.


The first time Thowra saw him was in the lowlands across the river from the High Country. It was winter and all of Thowra's herds had moved down below the treeline in search of greener pastures. Thowra himself was standing on the top of an ice covered outcrop when two young fulls, full of rigger and play accidentally slid into him. Their combined weight knocked him off balance and he would've fallen to his death for sure if something hadn't grabbed his mane. A rather strong force pulled him back to safety. Thowra had his eyes closed the whole time but when he dared open them his rescuer was gone, merely a gray tail hair behind.

...

It was spring and Thowra was wondering through the open grasslands of the High Country. He'd just gotten into a big argument with Boon Boon and his mind was preoccupied. He wasn't watching where he was putting his feet. A flash of gray appeared in front of him, knocking him aside. Thowra hit the ground hard, the wind blasted out of him. It took him a minute to get his breath and feet back under him and when he did, all that was left was a dead snake and a knot of gray hairs.

...

Winter had turned every pasture that Thowra knew of into a wasteland. All the lush green grass was buried under feet of snow, too deep to dig. Thowra was out searching for new grazing areas when a blizzard kicked up. The biting cold worked its way through his thick winter coat, chilling his bones. He was only 5 and had a lot of youth left in him but the cold sapped that strength quickly. Thowra, with no place to shelter from the chilling wind, was forced to lie down in the snow. He was so very tired. _"Maybe if I rested, just for a little while.."_ He thought before drifting off to sleep.

Through the cold came sudden warmth. A warmth so welcoming that Thowra was lulled to it. The younger stallion could feel the presence of another. Strong muscle over bones of steel. A rhythmic heartbeat acted like a swinging pendulum, hypnotizing the younger horse back to sleep. A vaguely familiar scent filled Thowra's nostrils but he was too tired to place it.

...

The spring of the year he turned 10 was the last time Thowra ever saw his mysterious rescuer. For his mysterious nature, and lightning quick rescues, Thowra's mystery stallion had been dubbed The Grey Ghost. And apparently it was some Ghost that had a protective nature for the King of the Cascade Brumbies.

Man had been up to no good again, bringing wild animals to the foothills in cages. One was bound to escape. This time it was worse than that as two creatures, both fleet footed spotted cats began to wreak havoc on the animals of the High Country. Thowra naturally went to investigate, ordering a pregnant Boon Boon to remain with the herd and keep them safe. The palomino stallion paused when he came to a clearing. He shook his mane in slight discomfort, having the distinct feeling that he was being watched.

A brief rustle in the bushes and then two identical spotted cats leaped out of the brush with surprising speed. Thowra shied away from their initial attack as the cats missed his hide by inches. He didn't give them a chance to recover as they landed, rearing and slamming his hooves down on the head of one of them. It squealed a few times then went still. The other managed to avoid his thundering hooves and circled around to make an attack of its own. Thowra didn't notice it until it was too late. The cat was lunging for him.

Out of nowhere appeared the Gray Ghost, slamming his head into the cat and knocking it into a tree. A snort, a pawed hoof and Thowra's rescuer was off again only this time he didn't vanish back into the brush as before. He reared, striking at the cat as it found its feet again. Thowra leaped to his feet, ready to help though he was unsure what to do.

"Get out of here Thowra!" The gray stallion roared. His moment of distraction was all his opponent needed.

The cat jumped on his back and thinking fast the gray stallion rolled over, attempting to dislodge it. The cat leaped out of the way and made a grab for the now vulnerable horse's throat. It never got the chance as Thowra's hoof made a direct hit to its brain cavity, leaving it dead on the ground. Thowra struck it a few more times to be sure and when he looked up again, the gray stallion had gone. Only this time, he left a trail of blood and Thowra, without hesitation, followed.

The trail led south, out of the mountains and towards the foothills. It stopped cold at the river and Thowra immediately began crossing back and forth, searching for where it picked up on the other side. A splash stopped him in his tracks and ears pricked, nostrils flared the King of the Cascade Brumbies listened for further sounds of his rescuer. More splashes were heard and Thowra had them pinpointed. He changed course, turning downstream as he raced for the source. He rounded a bend in time to see the gray stallion haul himself out of the water and collapse on the bank, too weak to go any further.

Thowra trotted up beside him and lowered his head, muzzle brushing across those muscular shoulders. The color was wrong, the scent was off. He was too white, too odd smelling, but when those blue eyes opened Thowra knew unquestionably who his savior throughout all these years was.

"I thought I told you to stay out of my territory." He growled, keeping his voice stern.

"You told the Brolga to stay out." came the reply. "I am not he, not anymore..." The stallion known as the Brolga tried to lift his head but it was too much effort and Thowra swiftly dropped to his knees to keep his former enemy's nose from going underwater.

The silver stallion had to work hard to keep his voice level as he asked "Why?"

"You spared my life, Thowra. As much as I despised you, I couldn't just let that go."

Thowra shifted. "You would've done the same." He replied.

"Would I?" The Brolga snorted as he eyed his former enemy, now his King. "I would've killed you then in a heartbeat, just as I did your father. I- was a cold and careless brute then."

"You know you are not welcome here, Brolga." Thowra growled.

"Then do with me what you wish, my King." Brolga replied, closing his eyes again as he waited for Thowra to do what he would've done all those years ago.

But Thowra couldn't hold onto his anger. He sighed. Then, the King of the Cascade Brumbies did something truly shocking. He circled around, lay down beside his sworn enemy, the murderer of his father, and began to clean his wounds.

After a few moments when nothing happened, the Brogla dared open his eyes again, in time to see Thowra's palomino coat drop next to his. He hissed, legs twitching in slight pain as Thowra's tongue rasped across his back.

"I'm sorry. I'll try to be gentle." The silver stallion murmured.

"It's alright. Thank you." Brogla replied, his stiff old muscles relaxing.

Thowra was surprised at how deep the Brogla's wounds went. Almost to the bone in some places. It was more than his simple tongue could handle. No matter how much he licked, the blood refused to quit its flow. It ran down the Brogla's sides in a relentless stream, staining that once lovely gray coat.

"Just end it now Thowra." Brogla murmured.

"No." Thowra growled.

"End it now and it'll be all over with."

"No!" Thowra repeated with more conviction this time. "No I will not just kill another horse."

"It's what I would've done." Brogla rasped.

"What you would've maybe. But would the Brogla I used to know save my life? He'd have let me die!" Thowra hissed.

"True that." Brogla murmured. "I suppose even an old stallion can learn a few tricks."

"I can get you help. The Man could heal that wound." Thowra said, rising.

The Brogla remained where he was.

"Brogla, come on." Thowra begged. "You can't be helped if you don't come! And I can't just leave you here!"

"I'm not going anywhere Thowra." Brogla replied.

"Brogla, please."

"Thowra, help won't do me much good. I'm too old." The Brogla sighed, stretching himself out as the water lapped at his hooves.

Thowra's eyes narrowed and he snorted, half rearing. "Fine, fine! You want to stay here and die, fine! I don't care!" He left with a snort.

Thowra had gone only a few paces when he paused to look back, seeing the old gray stallion right where he was. With a sigh, the silver maned stallion returned to his side. He recalled hearing that he himself was half the Brogla's age which meant, goodness the Brogla was nearing 20. Awfully old for a wild horse. The Brogla looked it too. Age never did well on gray horses and no where was this more evident than with the stallion in front of him. The Brogla's once thick, rich stormy gray coat had turned silver, his muzzle white with age. He kept a good amount of muscle on his large frame but no where near what he once had when facing Yarraman in battle. Even his eyes, though they still cared that fiery strong willed spirit he was known for, appeared to be more like a flicker than a flame.

"Oh Brogla." Thowra sighed, dropping back down. "If only you'd let me help, I could."

"You know the ways of the brush, Thowra. You are wiser than most horses your age, myself included." A non-humorous chuckle there. "Everything has its time."

Thowra only whimpered, resting his muzzle over his shoulder. He never thought he'd feel this way, especially not for the Brogla. But after all he'd done for him, for his Kingdom. All these years, protecting him in secret. And Thowra could only still wonder and marvel as to why.

"In another life," the Brogla began, his voice strained. Thowra could see how his sides heaved, their pattern becoming increasingly inconsistent. "I would've been proud and honored to call you a friend."

Thowra wasn't sure what to say to that. He wasn't sure if he could even trust his voice enough to speak but he tried anyways. "Don't go." He whispered. "Please..."

He clung to that muscular shoulder for all he was worth, feeling the Brogla's muzzle brush his ear as the older stallion whispered "You have led your heard wisely in my absence. You will continue to do so. I trust my herds and my land are in good hooves, Son of Yarraman."

Thowra lifted his head slightly and for a brief moment, their gazes met. Blue looked into teal until something faded, some spark in the latter pair extinguished. The raised head fell back to the earth with a thump, the heaving sides stilled and the Brogla moved no more.

Thowra's shock lasted only a few moments before he rose to his feet, giving a loud cry of grief as he reared. His call could be heard well into the mountains, drawing the attention of both Storm and Boon Boon who raced down to meet him.

Thowra could hear their voices as they searched for him.

"Thowra?"

"Thowra?"

 _"Thowra?!"_

Thowra ignored them though. He lay back down beside that still gray form, resting his head over the rapidly cooling flank. A shadow fell over him and the king looked up briefly to see Storm hovering on the ledge above. "Thowra, thank goodness we found you. We heard your call and..." He broke off as he looked at the dead horse beside him.

"It wasn't me who found trouble, Storm." Thowra sighed.

Boon Boon came racing up. "Thowra wha..." Like Storm her gaze fell on the dead gray stallion.

"Father!" She cried, leaping down to land beside her mate. As she brushed her muzzle across the Brogla's head she felt the stunning coldness of him. No hint of warmth, of life. Tears formed in her eyes.

"He saved me from the cats I was tracking. I offered to go get help but he- it was too late." Thowra bowed his head. "You don't seem surprised." He said, noticing his companion's reactions.

"He told Boon Boon, who in turn told me. I didn't know until after you went off to chase the leopards. I was gonna go after you myself until she told me what'd been going on." Storm said.

Thowra looked at his mate, too tired and too sad to bother scolding her for not telling him. He had a right to know this. Instead he asked "What do we do with him? I won't just leave him here."

"We can take him back to the High Country. Bury him near his favorite rolling spot. You know he loved it there." Storm suggested.

Boon Boon shook her head. "He deserves to be free. Throw him into the river and let the current take him where it will." She said.

Thowra nodded and the three horses lifted the body of their former enemy and wadded out into the river. Reaching the middle where the current was strongest, they let go and watched as the water took hold of the gray stallion, tail streaming out. He bobbed there for a couple of minutes before sinking beneath the surface, never to be seen again.

Thowra's sigh did nothing to hide his heavy heart as he lead the way back to the bank. "Come on you guys, lets go home."


End file.
